Welcome to the third continuous installment of the AoKH AI Scripting Ladder, now supporting Userpatch for the first time. Here you can enter your AI to compete against AIs with a wide range of abilities and a huge range of strategies. Whether it's to improve your AI's skill or whether you want to enjoy the exciting fun and community it provides, the Userpatch AI scripting ladder will suit your needs.

The Userpatch (UP) is a community patch that provides enormous benefits to the game, allowing AIs to become exponentially more intelligent, among others. Click here to download the patch and learn about everything the Userpatch can do! You'll find many scripters here who are more than willing to help you learn how to script and how to use the new UP commands.

Also, if you enjoy scripting, you should join the AI scripters community at http://forums.aiscripters.com/. You can also find a guide to AI scripting here and a guide to the new UP commands here.

How Do I Join?

If you want to enter the ladder, just drop a post in the thread with a link to your AI, tell us what civ you want it to play, and your AI will be added to the ladder.

When you enter your AI, it will play four unrated games against different opponents and given a rating based on its performance. Once your AI has been given a rating, your AI is ready to enter round play and climb up the ladder.

New: Each forummer can only have one AI in the ladder at any time.

How Does the Ladder Work?

Like multiplayer ladders, the AI ladder determines an AI script's overall skill ability over the course of several games and compares the skill ratings of other AIs to each other.

The AI Ladder uses the ELO system, the same system used to rank chess players or players on online gaming sites such as Voobly. The ladder is run in rounds with each AI grouped in a league of (ideally) five AIs according to ability. During each round, each AI will play each other AI in its league twice. The winning AI's score in each match will be increased according to its opponent's score, either a large amount if the AI defeated a higher ranked opponent or a smaller amount if the AI defeated a lower ranked opponent. The losing AI's score is decreased in the same way. Once the round is over, a new one begins, creating continuous cycles of competitive fun.

To make things more interesting, we randomize between Arabia, Ghost Lake, Gold Rush, Mongolia, Oasis, and Yucatan. To facilitate the randomization, you can download the official AI Ladder random map randomizer to test your AI and to test matches: link

AI Classes:

New: All AIs are divided into leagues according to ability, with ideally 5 AIs in each league. The leagues are reorganized at the end of each round to re-sort the AIs into the leagues by ability.

If an AI is the lowest-ranked AI, has at least 75 points lower than every other AI, and has lost at least three games in a row, the AI will likely be dropped unless the author requests the AI to remain in the ladder.

Game Requests:

New: Requested games no longer count for score, but they can be requested nevertheless.

Previous AI Ladders:

In addition, for those who like a bit of nostalgia, you can find the previous installments of the AI scripting ladder here:

Anyone can judge any of the games in the AI ladder, and judges do not have to sign up for a game before playing it. However, you may make a post in the thread if you wish to reserve a game to judge. Those who are willing to judge and record these games, please post for which games you would like to play. Authors should not judge games that contain their own AI. All games should be played on Hard difficulty, tiny map, 200 pop, Dark Age, low resources, and Conquest victory. The current version of the Userpatch (version 1.4) and the official randomizer map script should be used. Games will be considered a draw if they last more than two hours, unless an AI has less than 2 villagers at the two hour mark. Thus, you can end the game after two hours if you wish.

It is recommended that the judges cheat "natural wonders" so that there is no possibility of interference from the judge. However, if you feel that this would hamper your ability to review the game you may opt not to do this, as long as you provide the recorded game.

If you decide to use Cheat Engine's speedhack feature, please limit your games to x5 speed on Slow speed or x3 speed on Fast speed, unless one AI has clearly won the game and you want to speed up the "cleaning up" process. Any faster speedhack is prone to mess up AI functionality on slower computers.

Once the game is finished, please write a short review of the game. Provide helpful comments on what were each AI's weak points so that the authors of the scripts can know how to update them. Also post the recorded game link along with the review. To make it easier for us to gather information from the reviews, please post the reviews of the games in this format (just copy it into your post and edit it):

AI #1 (Civilization) vs. AI #2 (Civilization)

Map: Arabia (or whatever map is chosen)

1 Jan, 2013 (this date is just an example of the format)Map Type: Mongolia (or whatever map is chosen)

Review:

.........

Winner: (AI Name)Recorded Game link

Thanks for judging and reviewing! Here is the current schedule. Sign up for the games you would like to play:

Season 2

Round 4

Entrance Games:

1.

Entering AI:-

vs.

Opponents:-

Results:-

Cavaliers League:

AIs:BarbarianPromiJuggernautThe Horde

Round W-L2-00-20-22-0

vs. Barbarianx--LL--

vs. Promi--x--WW

vs. JuggernautWW--x--

vs. The Horde--LL--x

Knights League:

AIs:TRONDaedricIlluminatiCrusadeIS Machine

Round W-L1-11-14-21-31-1

vs. TRONx--WL----

vs. Daedric--xWL----

vs. IlluminatiLWLWxLL--

vs. Crusade----WWxLW

vs. IS Machine------WLx

Squires League:

AIs:Tribal WarriorsBruteForceBossMeleonThe Unknown

Round W-L2-00-40-24-00-0

vs. Tribal WarriorsxLL------

vs. BruteForceWWx--WW--

vs. Boss----xWW--

vs. Meleon--LLLLx--

vs. The Unknown--------x

~`o´~|\Join the fresh and exciting AI Ladder for its fourth season!´ ` |_\|Learn the joy of AI scripting in my guide: The World of AI Scripting______|______ \ /.....Hinga Dinga Durgen! - SpongeBob`-=<.__.>=-´

Review:Unknown did one of the best booms ive seen an ai do. 3 tcs at around 18.30. Unfortunately, Nightmare was up to the task and sent an equally epic flush of skirms and archers Unknowns way. Unknown was in trouble for a long time, but nightmare was only trying to destroy stables with ranged units the whole time, resulting in little damage, other than killing vills. Most of the rest of the game consisted of nightmare on the attack, castling, upgrading, eventually gaining the age advantage. With Unknown still lagging in castle, hoarding massive amounts of resources but training little units to defend itself, all night mare had to do was stay on the attack,now in imp, bring rams in and its good game.

Winner: NightmareGame time:56.48

Note: I dunno what happened with Unknown, Offwo, but it could have taken this game. So many things done right but only to let itself down with an equal amount of fail.

In the game that I played, Unknown was quite passive. It just went for a straight boom, which doesn't do well against flushes. I don't know if it's trying for fast imperial, but that strategy might not work so well in the ladder. If so, I would have thought to add a token defense, but it actually might not help too much if it delays the fast imp.

New round is up. We've been going at about a round a week, which is cool.

~`o´~|\Join the fresh and exciting AI Ladder for its fourth season!´ ` |_\|Learn the joy of AI scripting in my guide: The World of AI Scripting______|______ \ /.....Hinga Dinga Durgen! - SpongeBob`-=<.__.>=-´

You tell the person who made it off until they put good resign rules in

AlevoSquire

posted
08-25-13 03:43 AM
CT (US)
109 / 1171

Crusade (Random => Japanese) vs. Promi (Random => Goths)

Slow speed x5Ghost Lake

Two AIs that usually flush battling it out. Crusade seems to have the upper hand because of the fast attacking infantry of the Japanese but can Promi's cheap foot soldiers reign supreme?

Both AIs have a pretty similar Dark Age with late boar hunting. Both getting two boars in the end though! Crusade advances first with 31 population, and tried a tower rush combined with a flush. Promi appears to be settling for getting to the castle age.

Promi reaches the castle age before Crusade attacks and instantly gets two perfectly adjacent town centers up next to each other, who's fire consequently kills most of Crusade's flushing units. Promi adds skirmishers and begins to eliminate the pests that litter his establishment. The skirms then concentrate their fire on the towers looming over his base from atop a big hill (which are very well placed by Crusade). With relatively few units, and no direct-combat ones, they soon die to the towers with another incoming wave of Crusaders, archers again, but this time spears replace the man-at-arms of the first attack.

Crusade begins to wreak havoc upon Promi's helpless villagers. Man-at-arms come to aid the cause. Meanwhile, on the far side of Promi's base he has erected a siege workshop, from which he trains two battering rams (a wise move! Those towers were proving too much for the steady stream of units Promi was losing to them). The rams eliminate the towers although one gives its life for the cause. Promi attempts to remove these raiders from his base but Crusade proves very persistant in his flushing, quickly picking off Promi's skirmishers one-by-one. All that is killing Crusade's troops is Promi's town centers but a continuous stream of units coming from Crusade's base keeps his numbers up. Crusade advances, could this spell the end for Promi?

Scouts join in the attack. Bodkin arrow is researched by Crusade. It would take a miracle for Promi to turn this around now, surely there is no way back? Crossbowman is researched and knights are added while Promi seemingly is just sending villagers to their deaths against the overwhelming force of Crusade. While the remaining ungarrisoned villagers are picked off, Crusade brings rams in to remove the town centers, in truth, Promi's hopes had died much before when he should've used knights to stop Crusade's late flush.

I think he just wanted to point out that he has enough free time for judging.Samoer if you want to judge then make sure to read how to do that in the first post. You need to set every setting exactly how it's described there.

Edit: I'll just copy it here:

Anyone can judge any of the games in the AI ladder, and judges do not have to sign up for a game before playing it. However, you may make a post in the thread if you wish to reserve a game to judge. Those who are willing to judge and record these games, please post for which games you would like to play. Authors should not judge games that contain their own AI. All games should be played on Hard difficulty, tiny map, 200 pop, Dark Age, low resources, and Conquest victory. The current version of the Userpatch and the official randomizer map script should be used. Games will be considered a draw if they last more than two hours, unless an AI has less than 2 villagers at the two hour mark. Thus, you can end the game after two hours if you wish.

It is recommended that the judges cheat "natural wonders" so that there is no possibility of interference from the judge. However, if you feel that this would hamper your ability to review the game you may opt not to do this, as long as you provide the recorded game. As a special case, when playing a game with Chameleon, please chat 250 before Natural Wonders so those watching the game can know what strategy Chameleon will use.

If you decide to use Cheat Engine's speedhack feature, please limit your games to x5 speed on Slow speed or x3 speed on Fast speed, unless one AI has clearly won the game and you want to speed up the "cleaning up" process. Any faster speedhack is prone to mess up AI functionality on slower computers.

Once the game is finished, please write a short review of the game. Provide helpful comments on what were each AI's weak points so that the authors of the scripts can know how to update them. Also post the recorded game link along with the review. To make it easier for us to gather information from the reviews, please post the reviews of the games in this format (just copy it into your post and edit it):

AI #1 (Civilization) vs. AI #2 (Civilization)

1 Jan, 2013 (this date is just an example of the format)Map Type: Mongolia (or whatever map is chosen)

Review:

.........

Winner: (AI Name)Recorded Game link

You can see which matches are available for judging in the first post.

Edit 2: Judging Cham vs Nightmare

Edit 3:

Chameleon (Huns) vs. Nightmare (Byzantines)

Map Type: Green Arabia

Review:

Meh.Chameleon selected the "hunnic cavalry boom" while Nightmare advanced around 12:50 - but without a goldcamp or a barracks.Chameleon just follows its plan while Nightmare only builds a tower and continues to chop wood. A bit later Chameleon attacked with ca. 5 knights and dealt quite some damage before they died.This may have been the reason for Nightmare unbugging though, at ca. 29 minutes he builds everything at once: farms, a barracks, archery ranges, a blacksmith, a gold camp etc etc, he even got some skirms out.But yeah it's too late already, Chameleon attacks again while advancing to the imperial age and just cleans up now.Nightmare then resigns at 43:29.

I doublechecked and i used the correct settings (also correct AI versions), so it was probably just related to the fact that Nightmare somehow didn't get his mining-camp out at first. :>

Nothing special happening in the dark age, IS_M preparing for a flush though. Of course this doesn't go by unnoticed and so UnfairSteel prepares a counter-flush (while advancing 2 minutes later).IS_Machine builds his first archery-range before his gold-camp and then takes quite some time to get any units out.The unit output of UnfairSteel is so much higher that he ends up attacking himself and completely annihilates IS_Machines army and some villagers too. A garrisoned tower and the town-center manage to kill most of Steel's units though and so the game is prolonged.Steel castles and booms with conqs while IS_M castles later, but upgrades his units and attacks.Due to the use of big attack-groups the attack was a total failure and didn't manage to attack before retreating (cause of the big attack-group just getting killed by a castle (the attack-group was also insanely slow cause it included a ram at the end)), at least he cleaned up 2 forward towers before he decided to use the big attack-group though.UnfairSteel advances to the imperial-age at 43 minutes and attacks. Steel takes his time but eventually manages to wipe IS_M off the map afterall.IS_BlueBird resigned at 01:11:22.

Note:a litte short,but I played this game 2 months,and with all Chinese fonts in the game can't describe more....Note:I like The Horde and Barbarian very much.When I play a 4v4 game,the 1st scored always is The Horde or Barbarian,they like wait they are strong enough then attack,the game is longer,they are stronger.so 4v4 they are best,but 1v1 espeially The Horde a little weak.IS Machine 1v1 strong,but in a 4v4 game can't dominate the game.Barbarian、The Horde、UnfairSteel、Promi always dominate a 4v4 game.here is the link I recoder the result:http://sdrv.ms/1aF5SGf.

Crusade builds 4 tower nearby Promi's town in Feudal Age.And the towers have been plaguing Promi.Promi reached Castle Age very early and had many recourse,but didn't know how to against those towers,he decides to reach Imperial Age.Until 1st TC was destoryed,Promi start train ram;but it's too late.

Note:The AIs met Tower Rush always don't have a good method.This time if Promi train ram earlier,he will win.And if this tower was more closer from the town center,most AIs will use farmer to attack the Tower;that will lost quickly.sorry,no seen it.But it doesn't matter,the same result.I have a question,Crusade has a long time no update,why 1v1 so powerful?I play Boss vs The Unknown

Oh Crusade was the last ladder champion of the old ladder so it was already a strong AI, it has some minor UP adjustments now and that's all he needs to beat some other very strong new AI's. Btw the AI was updated 3 days ago but only with a very minor change which still helps him.Promi can win when flushing but both games here he decided not to.

This map decided both 2 AIs can reach Imperial Age then attack.Before Imperial Age almost no battle.Once both reach Imperial Age,battle began:Boss have many Infantrys,then destory The_Unknown's defend.

I will play Dreadnought VS The Khanate.Dreadnought(Turks) vs The Khanate(Franks)

Map Type: Yucatan

Dreadnought reached Castle Age frist,but the farm is too little that can't train more soliders.Then under attack all the way,only train Skirmisher that isn't powerful enough to against many Archer,after The Khanate reached Castle Age,many Crossbowmen,but Dreadnought still only train Skirmishers.When The Khanate reached Imperial Age,the game is over.

Crusade took flush another time,but this time the tower almost didn't attack anything,bad pozition.And a Spearman an archer and a scout cavalry let him stay in Feudal Age too long.UnfairSteel directly Castle Age,then waited his Knights.The tower in UnfairSteel's town helped him a lot.Then UnfairSteel's knights are enough,he finished defend,and attack with ram.Crusade used camels to defend,but it didn't work,lose soon.

Other: I would like to judge a game ,but i can not open the link of the official AI Ladder random map randomizer .Could admistrator can submit another download address?

Email would work for me if you want to use that. I'm curious. Are you able to download the UnfairSteel vs. IS Machine recorded game? I want to know if the download website is causing problems or if it's the file itself.

~`o´~|\Join the fresh and exciting AI Ladder for its fourth season!´ ` |_\|Learn the joy of AI scripting in my guide: The World of AI Scripting______|______ \ /.....Hinga Dinga Durgen! - SpongeBob`-=<.__.>=-´

samoerSquire

posted
08-25-13 10:57 PM
CT (US)
131 / 1171

I have given to him,we both Chinese.And 2 games are enough,my words are so few so can't describe the game well.Let others do it.

Thanks Leif Ericson,i have gotten that random map from samoer, i am in China ,maybe some webpage is forbidden.And i can not download the UnfairSteel vs. IS Machine recorded game! I just try it and failed!

Both ais selected FC-ish,and once reach to castle-age, the horde start to train eagle-soldiers until > 20 and start flush,but at this time unkonwn only develop economy and very very worse of military ,even only a barrakd,no archery-range ,no stable.and no milatary,result to be defeated.

played Crusade vs Steel, Crusade won - unluckily I got it that this game was invain, ok

so tested

'The Khante' (-> franks) vs Promi 1.4k (-> persians)

don't know about the meaning of Khante, but see it spamming me with messages, ehm..looks like it is such a weird map called ghostlake (or gothslake ?) - not a good map for flushers, so both got along with a booming strat, very comfortable for Promi.Indead they hit Imperial at 31 min, Khante no military and Promi with some monks.Now The Khante failed terribly - no army but collecting resources, hmm looking forward to temper the enemy ?Soon Promi with elite war elephants, those longlive meatloafs, long distance siege and on the way nowjust some minutes and the undefended settlement of the franks was checked off.

heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned (William Congreve)

PromiskuitivSquire

posted
08-27-13 06:18 AM
CT (US)
136 / 1171

Thanks for judging mate, good to see you back.But was that maybe the oasis map with the big center lake with trees around? Cause that's the worst map for flushing in the ladder pack imo (so Promi won't flush there).gg Offwo

GG Promi, Archon and UnfairestEel!I have been away for some days and the ladder is running fast. I will give a look to the recorded games bejond the (good) judge's description; thanks to them i just see some little upgrade to do to my IS_Machine

The RulerSquire

posted
08-27-13 10:10 AM
CT (US)
139 / 1171

looks like that it emerges quite a wide oasis hihi - yes there were palmtrees around.

tried an attempt to add an archer rush to Nos, but quit that due to excessive lazyness, will skip that to late autumn.

remaining in the mood so I explored another script meeting:

Dreadnough (-> persians) vs Chameleon(teuts)

this time not the brits vs the teuts lol

kept Dreadnough more for a naval script. on ice it seems to have a problem or the chiefs all drunken in the castles looking for the ladies in the kemenate lol

Cham(eleon) tried a m@a rush with tower support but that so much too late, just lost 3 or 4 fb builders here giving Dread(nough) a nice adv when him was following a FB.some attacks from Cham failed at a persian TC, a real failed chance for a shure early decision.all comming quite boring..both adv to imp at 41st min, teuts more militia and ranged, persians with a nice collection of cav, scorps and cav archers.both collecting, upgradingseveral attacks from Cham, which all failed, but due to the minor persian defense they managed to level some castles and buildings ahead.Dread in fine condition spammed me with messages: attack- quit attack huh !

since Dread refused any offensive action and Cham never made it through the outskirts to the heart of Persian settlement I had to stopp it at the 2h time out.

hm on this map it depends a lot on the luck of the scout collecting sheep.

heav'n has no rage like love to hatred turn'd, nor hell a fury like a woman scorned (William Congreve)

[This message has been edited by The Ruler (edited 08-28-2013 @ 01:31 PM).]

samoerSquire

posted
08-27-13 12:57 PM
CT (US)
140 / 1171

Only left 1 game this round,very fast!And I noticed:In the map gold rush,The Horde builds castles in the middle,Barbarian builds a TC then castle in the middle gold,Unfairsteel builds TC,while others only builds mining camp,that's not smart.

hmm,I played the last match.Nightmare (Byzantines) VS Boss (Turks)Map Type:Arabia

Nightmare attacked Boss in Feudal Age,with many Skirmishers,I nearly think Boss will lose,but Boss went to directly Castle Age,and trained some Crossbowmen to defend.Then Boss started to attack Nightmare,but failed,so both waited Imperial Age.In Imperial Age,Boss attacked first.Because that's Turks,as an an infantry Ai,he can only used Skirmishers and Crossbowmen,I think Boss's attack won't be successful,but in early battle,his army stood a higher place,so his army entered Nightmare's town.Fortunately,Turks still had Champion,or Skirmishers and Crossbowmen would make the game a very long time.

NOTE:Boss--infantry,but Janissary also is infantry,this time Boss had many recourses,but only train Skirmishers,this will make things worse in a long time game.NOTE:Nightmare always choose attacks in Feudal Age,I think Byzantines is a late powerful nation,try directly Castle Age,Cataphract will make infantry die soon.

You will need to look at the map itself to tell which map it is. It will randomize between Arabia, Ghost Lake, Gold Rush, Mongolia, Oasis, or Yucatan. For example, if there is a lot of gold in the middle, then you know that the map is Gold Rush.

One game has too much contingency,so which can won,and we need to judge 2 of 3 or 3 of 5? or 1 2v2 game?

If we have to play two games, the ladder will progress much slower than if we play one game. The ladder doesn't measure the true strength of AIs. It only measures approximate strength.

EDIT:

New round.

~`o´~|\Join the fresh and exciting AI Ladder for its fourth season!´ ` |_\|Learn the joy of AI scripting in my guide: The World of AI Scripting______|______ \ /.....Hinga Dinga Durgen! - SpongeBob`-=<.__.>=-´

Good game! Excellent game!.In promi's POVIn dark-age promi economy is best,and updated to feudal-age only 25 people,and once reach feudal-age,it began to train remote soldiers ,till 8 soldiers and attack Unfairsteel immediately. At this time ,unfairsteel just reach feudal-age,and only build a stable. Harry and harry ,at the late time there are 20+ soldier attacking unfairsteel,and unfairsteel only train several scoud-cavelry to resist,and game-score is lower 400 than promi at least.And i almost think promi will win this game truely.But it shocked me,at this time ,promi selecetd retreat all its soldiers with huge advantage!!! Then both enter a warless boom state. Unfairsteel catch this chance,mine stone and build 4 castle in the center of the map and control the gold mine and safe.In late imp-age,Unfairsteel consume much gold to train knight,mangonel and trebuchet to attack promi,at this time promi is lack gold and sell wood to gather gold,of cource is worse,and resign at last.